Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom has added fuel to the fire ahead of their clash with Leeds after admitting that he ‘hated’ the club as a youngster.
Heckingbottom has attracted plenty of praise for his work at the south Yorkshire club, guiding them to the Football League Trophy and promotion to the Championship as caretaker in 2016.
Barnsley’s first season back in the Championship was another successful one for Heckingbottom as he guided him hometown club to ninth place in the second tier.
Their start to this season has been less impressive, lying 17th after 17 games with 20 points, but there are few who doubt the job that Heckingbottom has done at the club.
Ahead of their Yorkshire derby with Leeds this Saturday, Heckingbottom has admitted his dislike of their opponents, adding some spice to the crucial Championship clash.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Heckingbottom said: “It (Leeds) was always my favourite one. When I was growing up, where I was from, you were a Barnsley fan or a Leeds fan when you played in the field behind my house.
“It was Leeds against Barnsley and the Leeds lads were always older than us and always used to kick smoke out of us. We hated Leeds and they hated us and that is how it was.
“You understand the support they have got and the size of the club and the tradition as it was always rammed down your throat with them bragging about it. It is a team everyone loves to hate, but a big club with a big tradition. It is a big derby for us.”
OPINION
Heckingbottom has merely ensured that this will be a derby with some bite. Leeds travel to Oakwell on the back of a 4-1 defeat to league leaders Wolves, and a loss to Barnsley would mean it was back to square one for the Whites. Heckingbottom and his charges will surely use that as extra motivation as they themselves look to climb the championship table after an indifferent start.